1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent article for disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, incontinence pads, etc. More precisely, it relates to such an absorbent article capable of transferring a skin-protective ingredient to the skin of users.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various absorbent articles of absorbing excretions are used, including, for example, disposable diapers. sanitary napkins, pantiliners, incontinence pads, etc. While worn, such absorbent articles are wetted by wearer's excretions such as sweat, urine, feces, menses and other vaginal discharges, etc., and will often give a stuffy feel to wearers and irritate the skin of wearers (i.e., diaper rash and the like). In particular, in the private parts and therearound that are to be in direct contact with excretions, and also in the area to be in direct contact with an elastic member of an absorbent article, for example, in the waist and therearound and also in the thighs and therearound for the diapers, the problem is serious. Lotion or cream that contains a skin-protective ingredient is often applied to the skin of a wearer in order to prevent the wearer's skin from being stuffed and irritated by such a wetted absorbent article. However, this is still problematic in that such lotion or cream soils the hand and using it is troublesome. In particular, babies and aged persons who could not apply it to their own skin by themselves need caregivers' aid, which, however, is troublesome.
To solve the problems set forth above, International Unexamined Patent Publication (Kohyo) Nos. Heisei 10-509895 and 10-509896 disclose a diaper of which top sheet is coated with a lotion composition. The lotion composition comprises a mixture of a skin-protective emollient and a passivator capable of being fluidized at a predetermined temperature. In this, however, the passivator will be fluidized at such a predetermined temperature even during storage or transportation of the diaper, and, as a result, the necessary emollient will flow away before use. If so, the amount of the emollient to be effective while the diaper is actually worn will be reduced. Another problem with the diaper is that the lotion composition used for it is insoluble in water. When the fluidized lotion composition has spread over the top sheet of the diaper, it will lower the liquid permeability of the top sheet, and, as a result, the absorptive power of the diaper will be thereby lowered.